Cooking Channel is joining Food Network for our first annual cookie swap, 12 Days of Cookies. Each day, visit us here for a look at new holiday cookies, party-planning tips and top techniques for rolling, spooning, slicing, baking and decorating delicious sweet treats to give — or keep — from favorite chefs and Food People. Then visit FoodNetwork.com/12daysofcookies for great takes on holiday baking from Food Network chefs — cookies by the dozen to celebrate all season.

Want to bake holiday cookies like a Domestic Goddess? Grab the sugar and a few sticks of butter: Today, Nigella kicks off our inaugural 12 Days of Cookies party — a baker's dozen of fresh-baked cookie recipes from favorite Cooking Channel chefs and cookie-fixated Food People alike.

Nothing says "holiday" like a traditional sugar cookie cut into a festive shape and decorated with a flurry of sparkle factor. And what could be easier than creaming sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla and rolling out a blank slate for your imagination? Use Nigella's Cut-Out Cookies recipe, add your favorite cookie cutters, some colored icing and glittery sugar, and make the season bright.

12 Days of Cookies:

• Make Nigella Lawson's Cut-Out Cookies.
• See who's joining in: Jamie Oliver, Rachael Ray, Chuck Hughes and more.
• Food Network is swapping cookies, too.
• Get Nigella's top recipes.
• Catch Nigella on Cooking Channel.
• Share your Holiday cookie pix with us on Facebook.

Tell us: What's the first batch of holiday cookies on your list this year?

Melanie Rehak, author of Eating for Beginners, has been baking cookies since she was old enough to climb onto the kitchen stool. She's partial to Zimtsterne—cinnamon stars—for the holidays, but loves most cookies all year long.